Wrapping up the year and beginning another...

What a year it has been for this girl! In January my sweet nephew was born. Three weeks later my mother was diagnosed with cancer. In May, I quit my full-time job to chase my dreams of photography. And now, I'm headed out on my first (but hopefully not only) trip to Africa to work with a non-profit organization and share the message of the gospel. I’ve cried tears of joy, tears of pain, tears of relief, tears for dear friends, and tears simply because I'm a girl and that's what I do.

The Lord has been very real in my life this past year and especially this last month. It's safe to say he's been preparing this trip for a while, but has recently had to be harsh with my sinful heart. It's been painful, but oh, so beautiful. The Lord's grace is amazing.

I've had friends, family, and complete strangers contribute financially and prayerfully to help make this trip happen. I haven't forgotten about any of you and am extremely thankful and overwhelmed at how perfectly this has all come together.

If you know me at all you know I'm a planner. I like to know all the details about pretty much any situation. I pry into my friends' lives and can be OCD when it comes to my calendar. I like control. :) I can honestly say that I know very little about what's going to be happening the next 3 weeks and am at perfect peace with that. I know the goals of the trip as far as the non-profit is concerned, but I know the Lord is going to do big, big things. Bring it on.

I make no promises that there will be more blog posts while in Africa, but I'll try my best! You can (and should) bookmark http://livingoutofaziplocbag.blogspot.com/. Elizabeth (the mastermind behind this trip), or Kitty as I affectionately call her, will be able to paint a much better picture of what's happening. There, you can also read about her past trips.

I can't wait to return and share stories and, of course, lots and lots of pictures! Thanks for standing beside me, especially when I've acted straight silly!

I'm oh, so excited to both wrap up 2010 and begin 2011. On. Another. Continent! How crazy is that?!

Chihuly at Cheekwood

I checked out the new Chihuly at Cheekwood exhibit and loved it! It's seriously worth the $15 bucks to get in. I'd recommend going later in the day on a Thursday or Friday when they have the Chihuly Nights deal. I bet those sculptures would look great lit up at night.

I posted an article with many pictures on examiner.com, but I'd like to show off a few more! These are the more artsy ones plus a bee on a flower - not exactly Chihuly fitting. Hope you like them!

Cheekwood

What a huge contrast in the weather this weekend compared to last weekend. Though I was in Chicago last weekend and missed out on the torrential rain, I'm very thankful for the beautiful weather Nashville has experienced the past few days. On Saturday I went with a few friends to Cheekwood. I went back in the fall (here and here), but ran out of time and didn't get to see the many botanical gardens. This time, I headed there first!

She was framed!

After Mike tried to strangle Heather we put him in jail where he became very deranged.

Brayan at 3 months!

Sweet Lil Dude is THREE months old! I really can't believe it. I spent a few days with the little guy and managed to avoid the crazy Nashville flooding in the process.

His hair reminds me of Albert Einstein. I think that means he's going to be a genius.

So sweet.

Happy baby.

Look how long he is!

Love his big eyes.

The iPhone picture is becoming one of my "go-to" shots. I'm a fan.

Happy Blogoversary!

One year ago today I started this here little blog with an intro blog post. It's been a fun and crazy year, both in my life and in my blog's life, but today is not about looking back. Today is about looking forward...

You see, today was my last full-time day at Abingdon Press. Yep. I'll be there part-time a bit in May, but have decided to jump off the ledge and pursue the things I love. It's something I've been thinking about for a very long time and finally felt confident enough to make the move. I'm going to pursue writing and photography—mostly photography—and hopefully still be able to pay the bills!

I'll be working part-time as marketing coordinator for a real estate broker. I think it will be a fun and interesting new gig where there will be a lot to learn and a lot to do (I like to stay busy). Working less hours during the week will free up time for me to focus on my future. The small paycheck will be nice (and needed) while I get my website up and start marketing myself.

It's a strange and terrifying transition, but I'm excited to see what the next few months, and years, of my life bring. I'm someone who likes structure in my life. A weekly schedule that stays the same. A fixed income that pays the bills. A comfort zone. This will not be any of the above things, which in some way convinces me that this is why it is right. I'm being led this direction and it is definitely not something I would choose to do on a whim.

So, keep an eye out for the new things on the horizon. I plan to have the new site up by the end of May, but hope to keep this blog going for personal use—separate from the new website.

It's about to get real interesting around here...

Meet Backup

Backup is my dear pal Heather's doggy. She's not the bravest of dogs, but she is darn cute. Take a look...

Suzy Wong's House of Yum to donate 100% of proceeds during Dining Out For Life event

The annual Dining Out For Life fundraising event is happening today (or Thursday) across the country to raise money for AIDS service organizations. More than 60 Nashville restaurants are participating in this year's event, but only Suzy Wong's House of Yum has pledged to donate 100% to the cause!

The restaurant's name references the popular 1950’s novel, The World of Suzie Wong. It is the story of a beautiful Asian “lady of the evening” falling in love with an American diplomat. The sleek, trendy design of the restaurant is extremely fitting for its name. The small space is well used and the food presentation is superb. read more...